Sometimes the differences between Inner Happiness and Radiant Happiness get confusing. Inner happiness is not something you can just “put on”. It is a trait that is earned by your proper actions. You don’t just get Inner Happiness, but it comes about as a natural outcome of a good character and good actions.

Radiant Happiness, on the other hand, is something you decide to do. (I personally think it is hard to radiate happiness on the outside when you don’t have any on the inside, and it’s hard to have it on the inside when you are acting so glum – so inner and radiant happiness are somewhat connected.)

When you suddenly smile and light up your face, or when you express joy at some small thing; when you laugh lightly, clap your hands, or let yourself sparkle, you are expressing outer or radiant happiness. Radiant happiness has the ability to lift the mood of those around you.

You need not have beauty or a wonderful figure to express radiant happiness – this quality is far more important than those. Don’t rest on your natural beauty. We all have seen women blessed with good looks, but whose personality ruined them. They became ugly in our eyes because of ugly actions.

It is easy to lose your appeal when you have no vivacity or liveliness in you. This doesn’t mean you should let your looks go, but watch your reflection in the mirror and see how much radiant happiness does for you.

Just as we have noticed beautiful women without any real charm, there are women who have made real use of the quality of radiating happiness. When we look at them we wonder what it is that men see in them. We look at them through women’s eyes, but when you look at them as a man does, you will see where the attraction is – it’s in the life they exude.

Smart women who lack natural looks or have some defect make up for it with radiance. This quality goes far with men.

We all work hard at being attractive to men, but many of us make the mistake of thinking it is stylish clothes, attractive hairstyles, or artfully applied makeup. While these outer things should not be ignored, they are not as important as your disposition, which should be sunny and bright. What good will all your hard work do if you look like a sour grouch?

Literature reveals traits of radiant women. They have been described as women who “shed joy around” and “cast light upon dark days”. Others were “kind, fresh, smiling” with a “smiling heart”. Woodrow Wilson said of his wife, Ellen, “She was so radiant, so happy!” No one wants to be around a gloomy, depressed, or overly serious woman – especially men. They would rather enjoy the company of a woman who is vibrant, happy and alive!

A Sense of Humor

Having a sense of humor is extremely important to the Radiant Woman. Telling silly or off-color jokes and playing pranks can detract from feminine charm and is not what is meant by a sense of humor. What is meant is being able to sense and react to the funny side of embarrassing or ordinary situations.

When some small calamity happens it doesn’t help to let it depress you or let it ruin your day. When you drop the cake or casserole, you can get mad, but wouldn’t it be better to laugh about it and go on? What good does it do to yell, throw a fit, grumble, complain and make life miserable for yourself and everyone else? You can’t change the situation, so why not make it lighter by having a sense of humor?

How To Acquire Radiant Happiness

1. As I have already said, Inner Happiness and Radiant Happiness are connected – almost like one trait seen from different angles. Work on your character and the inner happiness can more easily be radiated out.

2. After you have gotten yourself cleaned up and ready in the morning, practice putting on a radiant face. Smile with your whole face. Get your eyes into the act. Put some sparkle in them. Make an effort throughout the day to be conscious of your face. Actively soften and lighten it. Relax your muscles.
3. Don’t forget your cheerful attitude to go along with your pretty face. The words out of your mouth ought to agree with your face! It’s hard to let bad attitudes out when you are smiling and it’s hard not to smile when you have a good attitude.

4. Don’t be selective with your radiance, but learn to be kind and sparkly to everyone you come in contact with. It seems to be the norm today to see just how nasty and “in your face” a woman can be. I have caught myself taking on this attitude when I am shopping (with an in-your-face sales person), or when I am driving. Don’t make this mistake. A good fountain shouldn’t bring forth bitter water.

5. All of us have seasons of discouragement and adversity. We all know from experience that this is the hardest time to have a cheerful countenance and a smile, but we aren’t called to do the easy thing – which is give over to depression. How we handle the bad times really shows what our characters are made of. It’s the tests that prove us. I really like this poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox:

It is easy enough to be pleasant
When life flows by like a song.
But the one worthwhile is the one who can smile
When everything goes dead wrong.
For the test of the heart is trouble
And it always comes with the years.
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth
Is the smile that shines through tears.

;
*** It’s hard to be radiant when you aren’t feeling well or are run down. You need to take care of your health, which is the subject of the next chapter.

With all this talk about smiling through adversity, and radiating joy on dark days you might get the idea that you never should wipe that smile off your face. Not so. There are times when a radiant attitude and a smiling face are most inappropriate and can give the impression that you are unsympathetic or not understanding the seriousness of someone’s situation and what they are suffering.

There are times when you should offer sympathy and a quiet shoulder to cry on. Be sensitive to these times and learn when to tone down your attitude.

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2 thoughts on “Radiant Happiness”

I’ve noticed a consecration to Mary (either montfort or kolbe) and the preparation involved helps achieve this. The trust in Mary of such things being to our good, paired with her being able to use it to help others, helps nurture the tendency towards radiant happiness in the women I’ve met that have done so

Chad, the Consecration to Mary (St. Louis de Montfort style) changed my life when I did it many years ago, still single. It had a deep and positive impact on my life (and still does)! I like how you tied it into Radiant Happiness…..!! Thanks for sharing.